Cool gadgets?

Well...the big 3-0 is coming up, and the wife wants to know what I want for my b-day. I usually ask for something practical, like a weedwhacker or clothes, etc.

I think this year I want something completely impractical. Something fun and just for me! Something that I would never buy for myself.

It's been a while since I got a cool gadget. So whats the latest coolest gadget out there right now? I do a lot of travelling, so I was thinking maybe a PSP. Also was thinking about a GPS.

Is there a cool PDA that has GPS built-in? I think I'd like something with more capabilities than just a GPS?


So whats the coolest gadget out there right now?




-Steve

 

Ooooh, you could get a PDA with a SDIO GPS card.. not sure if any ship with built in GPS though.

A PSP would be ULTRA fun though. Why not get her one too, so you can play WiFi games of wipeout or somthing like that

What about a sidekick? Or a treo (used to love em, now I'm not so sure...). I think you can add GPS (SDIO card) to a treo... so you can use it for a phone, PDA and GPS stuff. (browse the web, and know where your going, what could be better? ).

 

thought this was nifty

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1283648&CatId=230

I'd go for the GPS my self. but thought this would be relevant to "cool gadgets"

 

It all depends on what you think is cool. What I may think is cool, may not be cool to you.

Anyway, they've had GPS software/hardware for PDAs for a few years now.....

What would I want? I'd want a brew sculpture: http://www.morebeer.com/browse.html?category_id=2029&keyword=&x=1&y=1

Speaking of brew, I completed another over the weekend. The yeast is very active, converting fermentable sugars into alcohol....

 

Room Defenders can be a lot of fun.

http://forums.battle-forum.com/emoticons/PikaGlasses.gif

 

Thanks for the ideas.

I think what I'm looking for is something with a GPS, but not just a GPS. I'd like a handheld that has a GPS built-in or has a GPS attachment available. Does such a thing exist?

PSP is out, since it doesn't look as though I'll be travelling much this year, and I'm not much of a gamer anyway.

The Treo looks pretty cool, but I just got a nifty camera phone, and signed a 1 year contract with T-Mobile.

A PDA would be cool, but I'm not much of a PDA kinda guy. Although, some of the features I would definitely use, like a MP3 player and web browser.

A GPS would be perfect, since I'm always getting lost.

I checked out the Tungsten C, which is $300. It has built-in wifi and an MP3 player. A 400 Mhz cpu and 64 MB of storage. I did find a GPS unit that goes with the Tungstens, but it's $350 and uses Blue Tooth, which the C doesn't have.

I've heard that Blue Tooth is soon going to be shelved by wireless USB.

So is there a PDA or handheld out there that has GPS capabilities? I'm open to anything- IPAQ, Axim, etc. Not just Palm.

Anyway, as far as a handheled- given this criteria, what would you reccommend?

Phone - NO
Camera - NO
MP3 Player - YES
Wifi - YES
Blue Tooth - Doesn't matter
GPS - YES
Keyboard - Doesn't matter
Under $500




-Steve

 

Have a look at this link: http://www.pocketpcmag.com/

Might give you some ideas. If it were me I'd go with a Windows based PDA, they seem much more powerful than Palm OS, and there are loads of things written for them (not least MiniStumbler, the little version of NetStumbler )

 

Thanks for the link, Goldy.

This IPAQ looks cool, but I really don't need the WLAN and phone capabilities, just GPS and WIFI.

Anyone have an IPAQ? Do you like it?

Whats better in your opinion, Palm OS or Windows CE?


-Steve

 

Wait, is WLAN the same as WIFI? I always thought WLAN was wireless Internet access through a provider like Cingular on the Cell network. If not, then what the "offiicial term for that?"...GSM?


-Steve

 

I'd recommend a Dell Axim. I looked for a nice iPaq but I kept reading horror stories about the LCD's cracking prematurely.

 

Thanks Kodo. A friend has an Axim and he's going to bring it into work tommorrow so I can check it out.

Is that what you've got, an Axim? If so what model?


-Steve

 

I have the Axim X50 (not the x50v which is vga instead of qvga)
check this site out
www.aximsite.com

I would also suggest waiting until they are shipping with WinMobile 2005 which should be soon if not already.

 

Alright, I'm leaning toward the Axim X50v. I've seen it for as low as $375. I'd like to pair it with the GPS kit: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A0110676&category_id=5520

What do you think?

Kodo, any complaints about your X50, other than the OS? I've read that 2003 OS isn't really set-up for the VGA display, so maybe I'll wait for the 2005 version like you suggested. Otherwise, all the revies I've read are all really good. Some complaints about battery life, but thats about it.


-Steve